The Ohmies get their fans up and moving
The Ohmies want to do more than just entertain kids.
The group, which is making its Canadian debut at the 2012 Fair at the PNE, wants its audience to get up and move to its catchy tunes.
Maybe the kids will even learn a yoga move or two at the show, which goes at 12:30 p.m. and 4:30 p.m. daily at Festival Square — except for Monday, which is a rare day off for Sylvio Snake, Gisbert Grasshopper, Daisy Dog, as well as Bella Butterfly and her little brother Carlin Caterpillar.
You would think a snake might be a little intimidating for a target audience aged three to eight years but Ben Fisher, who plays Sylvio, explains his character is “lovable, huggable snake.”
Part of what happens in the show is that Sylvio gets a little bout of stage fright and has to be persuaded by his friends to rejoin the show — just the way kids need the support of their friends.
The Ohmies began about 10 years and yes, the “ohm” comes from that whole yoga, meditation thing.
“Each character teaches, in one way or another, a [yoga] pose,” said Fisher, 26, who’s from Connecticut but now lives in New York like the rest of the troupe.
With the characters all colourfully dressed, singing and dancing, their show is most definitely not a yoga class.
But there is a focus on audience participation.
“We need their response for the story to continue,” said Fisher. “Their participation is not only asked for, it’s needed.
As for how the cast would like its audience to react, he said the Ohmies are “all about interaction, actually being active.
“They’re up, they’re dancing, they’re learning to stretch, and they’re really having a ton of fun.”
Accidentally learning a little yoga can be a good thing.
“It’s all about joy and friendship, and parents are thrilled their kids are up, expelling energy that they would otherwise be expelling at home,” said Fisher.
“The show teaches kids how to deal with stress management, teaches them how to form lasting friendships and have fun.”
What Kyrah Dick, 7, and her sister Kaylee, 5, from Chilliwack, liked were “the songs and the dancing.”
Their mother Michelle was a little more forthcoming.
“I thought they were good,” she said. “They were fun. I liked how they were trying to get people to participate.”
While the Ohmies are currently only a stage show, there are hopes for a television series to let even more people participate.